Recommendation for an excellent professional stone setter

[medusa]

Presumably they get the prices they ask? They're, shall we say, quite high?

I suppose it depends on how long it takes to set a stone. I guess if it takes a couple of mins then that's expensive. It could also be that they set the price that high because they see it as one-off small fry work and the kind of stuff that fills time when they could be doing work for regular clients. They wouldn't be the first to give an outrageous quote because they don't want the faff of the job.

If it is usually cheaper than that I might consider blinging some of my bit up

[Gemsetterchris]

Better to turn people away than to rip them off.
Sounds like the setters are working from a workshop attatched to a retail outlet? doubling up what would already be expensive...
2 minutes a stone is possible but thats generally what you have to learn as an apprentice doing mass production work for peanuts..generally the idea is to charge abit more to work at a more sensible pace doing a better job with more satisfaction (if you don`t have much overhead to worry about).

[medusa]

This is why I love this forum. See I would have thought that paying about 15-20 quid to have a stone professionally set was kinda reasonable. Especially if its an expensive diamond or something.

[glowpear]

I may be romanticising a little here but I also think it is a cultural thing. German "goldschmied" is a most holy of crafts and a good setter or goldsmith is revered in a way I think we are less inclined toward in the UK. The only mass produced retailers of fine jewellery one sees here are imports - Tiffany, Cartier and the like. Broadly speaking. Even Niessing, as a big German manufacturer, is keen to impress how much every piece is created by hand by master craftspeople, none of that Tiffany cookie cutter stuff. Goldschmied is a big, big deal here and I'd say the majority are name over the door type of small businesses. Even very wealthy people don't wear lots of spangly diamonds - it's all about the inherent beauty of the precious metal and the finery of craft. Generally I share this respect for German goldschmied but I do on occasion feel just a bit frustrated by just HOW expensive it all gets. And, yes 22k gold is much nicer than 14k gold (which you hardly ever see here) but let's be honest, not many of us can afford such pedigree in our work.

[glowpear]

No I am talking teeny, tiny specks of diamonds in ring shanks - proper setting of valuable stones is something else entirely! In Germany, at any rate.

[medusa]

No I am talking teeny, tiny specks of diamonds in ring shanks - proper setting of valuable stones is something else entirely! In Germany, at any rate.

But wouldn't setting a small cheap stone take as long as setting a big expensive one?

[glowpear]

I'm not a setter but I think this popped up on another thread started by Chris. I think the point being made was that the value of a stone must be integral to the setting, and to a varying degree vice versa (well set pieces can hide inclusions and show case flawed diamonds in a flattering light for an overall mark up in price). Forgive me if I misquote as I am more grappling with wriggly babies at the moment than carefully spending time reading all the interesting threads here, but it's fair to expect a 50k stone to be set to perfection under a very high magnification microscope compared to a small, 100 quid stone that is more or less eye clean and looks nice enough to the person wearing it.

[Gemsetterchris]

This is why I love this forum. See I would have thought that paying about 15-20 quid to have a stone professionally set was kinda reasonable. Especially if its an expensive diamond or something.

Can be..lots of stuff to consider, though you now realise why setters don't take responsibility if your 50k stone falls apart.

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[medusa]

I'm not a setter but I think this popped up on another thread started by Chris. I think the point being made was that the value of a stone must be integral to the setting, and to a varying degree vice versa (well set pieces can hide inclusions and show case flawed diamonds in a flattering light for an overall mark up in price). Forgive me if I misquote as I am more grappling with wriggly babies at the moment than carefully spending time reading all the interesting threads here, but it's fair to expect a 50k stone to be set to perfection under a very high magnification microscope compared to a small, 100 quid stone that is more or less eye clean and looks nice enough to the person wearing it.

probably. But I don't really know anything about gem setting, I just imagine that a professional gem setter would set a stone according to its size, shape and setting the same way irrespective of the actual value of the stone. Maybe Chris can enlighten?

Can be..lots of stuff to consider, though you now realise why setters don't take responsibility if your 50k stone falls apart.

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so I shouldn't send you the 500 ct black opal to set them?

[Gemsetterchris]

so I shouldn't send you the 500 ct black opal to set them?

You'll have the same problem anywhere, It's your risk.
Having said that, finding a well experienced setter is your best bet.
There is always a risk, most avoidable but some not...
All setters break stones, It's part of the learning process, decent ones have a good reputation by not having accidents often & certainly not with big expensive stones
Quite possible a big black opal has a flaw inside waiting to fail under the slightest pressure...only the poor setter will find out.

Stone value doesn't generally apply to setting cost just size,shape & method..also it doesn't do a setters nerves a lot of good if you tell them your emerald cost more than their house ( tell them after )

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